Improvement in generating illuminating-gas



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. H. COVEL. GENERATING ILLUMINATING-GAS.

No.17Z,707.

Patented Jaz`1.25,1876.g

Zure hn' '6g N4 PETERS, PHDTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASMINGTQN. D4 c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. H'. COVEL. GENERATING ILLUMINATIN'G-GAS. No.173,707. Patentek/ff FETERS, PMOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D C.

Smeets-Sheet 3.

E. H. GOVEL. GE'NERATING ILLUMINATING-GAS.

Paten d Jan.25,18776.

No.17z,7o7.

METTERE', PHOTO-LITHOGRRPHER. WASHINGTQN, D, C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

EDWARD H. covEL, or NEW YORK, iN. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN GENERATING ILLUlVIINATING'-GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,707, dated January25, 1876; application iiled January `7, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD H. CovEL, of thecity of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and usef'ul Improvements in Process and Apparatusfor Generating Illuminating-Gases5 and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which` form a part of thisspecification.`

This apparatus is composed, essentially, of two parts, viz: first, 011eor more cupolas for the generation of hydrogen; and/second, acarbureting apparatus, by vwhich a uniform carbonization, to any desiredcandle-power, of the hydrogen gas is effected.

It is necessary that I should describe each of these apparatuses andtheir associate devices in detail, as their construction and effects aresomewhat peculiar.

In the drawings. Figure l is a vertical section of the cupolas, and anend view of the carbureter. Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe apA paratus,partially in section. Fig. 3 is a trans verse Vertical section ofthecarbureter. Fig. 4 shows an elevation of the cupola, cooler, andcarbureter, and a vertical section of the auxilary test-chamber. Fig. 5is a modication of the auxiliary test-chamber.

In the manufacture of hydrogen and other gases by the decompositionofeither wet or superheated steam, by being forced into contact withhighly-heated coke, a matter of the rst importance is to maintain thetemperature of the coke to a decomposingpoint.

This condition must be effectually secured in order to separate thewell-known elements (hydrogen and oxygen) composing the heated water oristeam-the hydrogen being set free, and the oxygen combined with carbonof the coke to form carbonic oxide, both important basic constituents ofillumiimting-gas.

lt is found that steam, however highly heated, practically will alwaysbe of a lower temperature than the incandescent coke, and

the, tendency of the steam, when forced in, upon, and among the lumps ofheated coke, is

.to reduce the temperature of the heated coke Fig. 1,A is thecupolafurnace, in which the l steam, super-heated or otherwise, is to bedecomposed. This furnace is constructed of firebrick, cased with iron,or common brick, and

`forming a deep cylindrical space for the reception of coke, coal, orany other l suitable substance.

At the bottom of the furnace is an openin g, A2, similar to the openingof a common gasretort, provided with a substantial and closeflttingdoor. The object of this opening is to gain access to the interior ofthe furnace for 4the purpose of igniting the coke, and also for clearingout the furnace when required. This opening, when the coke is welllighted, is kept closedV (air-tight) by a door, until the coke in thefurnace is exhausted and a new charge is required.

U1 is an opening made in the side of the furnace, near the bottom, toadmit heated air into the furnace and upon the coke, its object being tokeep up the combustion of the coke and restore heat to it when lost bythe too constant use of steam. The air is supplied to the furnace by acommon tight positive blower, located at any convenient point, and keptin motion, when required, by any of thewellf known means. This air maybe heated by passing it from the blower through a heated pipe or othermedium, or may be delivered" 1n to the furnace through the vopening ortuyere G1 at an ordinary temperature. lfthere is i' l any differencewhether the air be heated or not, it is found to be in favor of hea-tedair, which may be heated by Vforcing it through a coil of heated pipe orconduits, through a G2, for superheated steam.

heated chamber filled with broken tire-brick,

' or by any of the'well-knohwn devices-for heatplace, and heated whollyor in part by thev heated gases, (carbonio oxide, &c.,) conducted fromthe furnace at G3 to a proper burner,

-which serves to heat the boiler 5 or the boiler maybe heated simply bythe hot products of combustion escaping from the furnace.

When the coke in the furnace is well ignited, and the cupola has reacheda high decomposing temperature, the supply of air is cut off by closingcock U1, and is replaced by superhe'ated steam, which enters through thetuyere O2. The steam, coming in contact with the highly-heated coke, isvtransformed into a mixture of hydrogen a-nd carbonio oxide, which gases,when properly charged with the vapor of a Huid hydrocarbon andvsubsequently subi jected 'to the. high temperature of a heated retortand lime purification, becomes a'permanent or fixed illuminating-gas,and is gathered into gasometers by well-known means.

-As thel admission of the superhejated steam into the furnace causes therapid cooling of the cupola, it is soon suspended; then air is againintroduced to thoroughly ignite the mass of coke, and bring it again toits proper high temperature, in order that the operation may beIrenewed, 'and so on, alternating air and steam indefinitely.

It will now be seen that the action of the apparatus must necessarily beintermittent. I thereforev avail myself of the use of one or more ofthese furnaces or cupolas, according to the amount of gas, required tobe produced in a given time; and while one furnace is decomposingsteamand generating gas, the other'will be getting up its heat, and vicever sa,by which-means a constant supply ot' gas will be given olf fromthe apparatus. When but one is used, however, gas is being generated thegreater portion of the time. It will also be seen that wheneock` Cl isopened to admit air into the cupola, cock C3 must be opened at thev sametime, to discharge the products of combustion to the boiler or into theopen air.

When steam is to be admitted to the cupola A,l cock G2 must be opened,and, at the same time, cock C4'must be opened, in order to discharge thehydrogen an-d'carbonic oxide from the cupola into the cooler Y, or intothe carbureterand mixer, and thence to the retorts.

V This I regard as the first step in' my process.

The second I will now proceed to describe.

`In Fig. 2, A is the cupola. B is the carbureter. Gis thel exhauster andmixer. N isa bench of retorts'. O` is the air-blower, and P is theboiler.

In the manufacture of this gas, known as Water-gas]7 as above set forth,I have said I v nants now in use.

But there is still another feature or step in the process of thisinvention, equal in importance to the above-described step, that mustreceive serious attention where a uniform gas of a specifiedcandle-power is desirable.

It is well known that all gaseous bodies employed in the vmanufacture ofilluminatinggas receive their luminosity from the carbon containedtherein. Hence it is very desirable that said gaseous bodies shouldreceive their necessary carbon in a uniform and regulated manner, andthat, too, at the option `of the operator. This is that other element orstep referred to in my process above, which -I shall now proceed todescribe.

The tlrst thing to be done after the gas has been generated inthe cupolaand is being discharged` therefrom is to reduce its temperature, for itmust be obvious that the gas is 'too hot When lit leaves the cupola toreceive the carbon vapor in a4 regular and uniform manner. The' operator,could not control the amount of carbon vapor to be added to the gals.It is, therefore, desirable that the heat in the fresh gas should bereduced in temperature, and that can easily be done' in any ordinarygas-Works by passing 'the gas from the cupola through a set ofcondensing-pipes, Y, or any other mode of cooling down the gas may beemployed, and in very cold weather, and under some circumstances, thismay be omitted. v

The gas having thus been prepared to re ceive the naphtha or otherhydrocarbon vapor, it is admitted to the carbureter B. Here it isimportant that the carbon vapor should be added, at the will of theoperator, to the cool hydrogen in ixed and definite quantities orproportions, and of about the same uniform specific gravity, in order toprevent that stratification of the gas, when it arrives in the holder,found so objectionable in the use of naphtha in gas-making. Thisprevious formidable difficulty is entirely obviated by'this process, andby the following device, (see Fig. 2:)

Letter B isan apparatusv in which the light and heavy iuid hydrocarbonsare used simultaneously by rotating at intervals the chamber in whichthey are contained, thereby causing a uniform carbonization, or nearlyso, of the gas or air passing the apparatus, and utilizin g all thehydrocarbon duid contained therein. The gas or air, after leaving therotary chamber, passes to the mixer G, where it is rendered uniform asto the photometric condition of the gas, and thence to the heatedretort. This mixer Gr acts as an exhanster,`

i www y :i

sitions, will cause the whole, or only a part, of the gas passingthrough the machine to pass' lthrough the volatile liquid in therotating carbonizing-chamber.

Rotating' carbureter B is a cylindrical vessel, built vof sheet metal,`except possibly its ends, which may be of cast-iron. On cachot' itsends, and concentric with the cylinder, is a hollow trunnion, B1,whichrests on the timbering or other fixed supports B2. One or I morelevers, or a belt and pulley, H, are secured to either or both ends ofthe cylinder, for the purpose of turning it over a half-revolution onits trunnions.

-The vessel B is builtof two half-cylinders, each having an externally-projecting Bange, a, bymeans of which the two semi-cylinders are boltedtogether. `Screw-bolts should be used for this purpose, as it may benecessary to take the vessel apart at intervals for the purpose oi'clearing `or repairs. The joint made by the ltwo halicylinders should bevery tight to prevent-leakage. Between these two anges a, as abovedescribed, there may be introduced the edges ot the diaphragm B3, whichdivides the 'chamber' into two equal, or nearly equal, compartments.rlhe bolt which holds the two tlanges a together will also pass throughthe diaphragm, and hold it in position. The diaphragm B3 is divided intotwo parts in the center ofthe vessel, so as to form a small cylinderconcentric with the vessel B,

and through the center of the cylinder thus formedtheregulatinggas-pipeX will be placed, so as to leave `an annularopening between the pipe and the cylindrical part ofthe diaphragm, asshown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The ends ofthe gas-pipe X are joined with the ends or heads of thecylinder, and open ports x in the sides ot the said pipe, just inside ofthe front head al, perlnit the incoming gas to pass into the chamber B,Vas required, and the gas so passed into the carburcting-chamber returnsto the pipe X again through the open ports w', which are located at theother end ot' the chamber B, just inside of the head a2. The diaphragmb3 is to be iinel y perforated throughout its entire extent within thecha-mber b, both in its tlat and in its cylindrical parts. 4Theinduction gaspipe Disconnected with the hollow trunnion on the front endot' the cylinder B by means ot' the stuffing-box a3, Iand the connectinggas-pipe Dl is attached to the other end ot' the rotary earbonizer bythe stuffing-box a4. By this arrangement the gas to be carbonized may beconducted into and out of the rotary carbonizer without leakage, and thechamber B at the same time be left tree to turn on its axis, whether thechamber B is allowed to make a complet-e rot-ation around' its axis, oronly a semi-rotation', or rocking motion is entirely immaterial, andwill depend upon the arrangement of the lever H, which may permit awhole rotation o r not. At the front end ofthe apparatus is a valve,`X1, which-is arranged to close the front end of the pipe X, on which thesaid .valve is seated, as shown inV Fig. 2. This valve 'may be' openedor closed, or adjusted to suit,by means ofthe valve-rod X2 and theoperatingwheel X3, which wheel is i-n an accessible position outside ofthe apparatus. The rod X2 passes through a stutling-box, a., on theinductionpipe l), and inside ofthe said pipeit is threaded, so as toengage the nut X4, which is lixed inside ot' the said pipe, or to thehollow trunnion on that end of the apparatus. Just inside of the twoheads of the chamber B are placed two diaphragms, a5, which close downtightly to the pipe X, and also to the cylindrical sides of B, except inthe 4small portspaces a6. (Shown in Fig. 2.) The spaces between thediaphragme a5 and the ends or' the chamber B are suciently large toaccommodate the How of gas through the apparatus,

and are in open communication with the ports m x ofthe pipe X.

Within each of the compartments of B is placed a frame-work, E, as shownin Figs. 2 and 3, and between the ribs of this frame-work are stretchedwires or strips ot' i'clt, or any other suitable porous substance, forthe pur-l pose of extending the evaporating-surface, as represented by Ein Figs. 2 and 3. The object oi these obstructions will further appear`""in the description ot' the process.

rlhe connecting-pipe D connects the cylinder B with an ordinary rotarymixer or positive blower, G, Fig. 2, in the nature of an eX- hauster,the motion lof which, either faster or slower, will regulate the motionof the gas and controlits pressure. A. McKenzil blower willanswerallpurposes,and,beingwellknown,

need not be further explained.

` ln the apparatus constructed as above described, the process ot' thispart of my invention is as i'ollows:.A sufficient quantity of naphtha orother hydrocarbon luid (the quantity varying, ofcourse, with the sizeoi' the apparatus, but usually several barrels) will be putin thechamber B through Vits opening a8, and the` iiuid so introduced willpass through 'the pertbrations of the diaphragm in the direction of thearrowsk, and will fall into the lower ,halt-cylinder B in a tineshower,this operation being continued until all ot' the Huid shall havepassed below the diaphragm, and then the cylinder will be given ahaltrevolution by means ot' the lever H, when the iuid will again passthrough the diaphragm, asbefore, and so on. The operation of turning theby the action of the heat, it becomes xed and permanent.

In order to properly regulate the quantity of carbonization of the gas,I introduce the gas-equalizi'ng pipe X, which Will, on the opening ofthe valve X1, admit the uncarbureted gas inacu'rrent, (represented bythe arrows g.) This uncarburetcd current g will mingle With thecarliureted current g in 'the pipe D' or the chamber F, lor the mixer,as may be the most desirable, the object being to thoroughly mixanddetermine the photometric value ot' the` 'gas before it enters theheated retort.

This I regard as a feature of vmuch mportance at this. stage of theprocess. It will be seen, therefore, it' the gas, un-carbureted, isforced to mingle with the carbureted gas, ei-

ther in the chamber F'orthe rotary mixer, or

bot-h, that the different gases 'will 'readily coin- `bine, 'and mayAeasily be rendered of a uniform quality, and of any photometricstandard required, by simply adjusting the valve Xl, as may be desired,from time to time.

before it enters the heated retort, where the candle power of themixture can be determined by the use of the pipe M, having cock my andregulated burner m.-

When the apparatus is in action, and the:

gas is under a certain amount'of pressure, the burner m may be keptlighted, vs'o that the operator mayproximately determine at once and 'atall times its candlepoiver; or a photometer- 'may be employed forgreater 'accuf racy for that purpose, or both may be -found convenientand useful.

flers, in order to remove from it any stray sulphur which may arise fromthe use of coal or coke in the cupola, or any carbonio acid that may bepresent.

Al do not limit myself to the precise details This gas Will be con--ducted from the heated retort to the lime'puriof the apparatus hereindescribed, as it is evident that apparatuses of the nature specified maybe combined 'in an analogous manner to effect the same result.

The auxiliary test-chamber may be constructed. as shown in Fig. 5, wlthaflexible to'p or drum working in a water-seal, whereby it willaccommodate different measures of gas and regulate its pressure.

The retorts for 'fixing the gas are filled with {ire-brick, or otherrefractory material,

for presentingan extended heating-surface and keeping the gas longer inContact with such surface. l I

The steam may be superheated by passing it through coils of clay pipelocated in a'furnace,

for through a chamber filled with lire-brick and located in a furnace,or lby other means.,

All the different parts of the vapparatus are,

l'connected bythe proper pipes and couplings, 'and are provided withcocks and plugs Where necessary.

Having thus described my inyention, what I.

claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The process 'of manufacturing illuminatinggas, which consists inproducing Watergas bypassing alternate currents of 4airand steam througha body of incandescent carbon, cooling 'suc-h gas, and 4the-ncarburet'ing it by passing it at a regulated flow through aconstar'ntshower of liquid hydrocarbon, substan- The auxiliary chamberF, Whether placed beforeor after the rotary mixer, will be em-v ployedto receive the mechanically-mixed gas ing such gas, enriching it with adefinite and regulated 'percentage of hydrocarbon vapor, mixing thegases andvapor uniformly together, 'and then fixing the mixture inaheated retoras set forth.

3. The primarygenerator. A, cooler Y, and carbnreter B, constructed asdescribed, in

' combination with a test-chamber, F, exfhauster and mixer G,substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. 'The primarygen-erator A, cooler Y, carburet'e'r B, test-chamber F,and exhauster and mixer G,.in coi'nbination with one or more re# torts,N ,substantially asv and for the purpose described.

5. The Combination of a rotary carburcter,

an adjusting pressure-.regulating chamber, provided with a test-burneror photometer, a

rotary exhauster and mixer, and one o'rmore heated re'torts, as setforth.

In testimony that Il claim the foregoing as my own I afiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

A. MooRE,

G. E. CARPENTER.

EDWARD GOVEL.

